Bar and rolling scoring element device



May 26, 1964 J. A. CHENOWETH ETAL 3,134,595

BAR AND ROLLING SCORING ELEMENT DEVICE Filed Dec. 4, 1961 nx 1. M M, 0 m 0 0 M W m M a? e I United States Patent 3,134,595 BAR AND ROLLING SCORING ELEMENT DEVICE James A. Chenoweth, 19905 Talisman Drive, Torrance, Calif, and Luke M. Hannon, Jr., 7337 El Dorado Drive, Buena Park, Calif., assignors of one-third to Harry L. Clark, Monrovia, Calif.

Filed Dec. 4, 1961, Ser. No. 156,580 6 Claims. (Cl. 273-115) This invention relates to a game device and specifically to an arrangement to test the comparative manual manipulating skill of two or more players.

Specifically, the invention comprehends a planar board arrangement having at one end thereof a handle which may be grasped by the player. A flat upper surface of the device is arbitrarily divided into a plurality of scoring areas, each of said areas, having a different scoring value. A cylindrical scoring element may be rollably carried on the scoring surface whereby, upon manual manipulation of the device, the cylindrical element may be moved and brought to rest on any one of the determined scoring areas. The operators skill is tested in bringing the element to rest on specific scoring areas and appropriate penalties are arranged in the event the cylindrical scoring element is allowed to fall from the playing surface or to become deposited in a complemental cavity arranged at the remote end of the scoring surface. Two or more players, each having a like number of turns, compare the scores achieved. The first player to reach a predetermined total score is declared the winner.

The result of the arrangement hereinafter described is a novel and fascinating game apparatus capable of testing the comparative manipulating skill of the players.

This and other purposes of the invention will be apparent in the course of the following description and from an examination of the associated drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view, partially in phantom, and illustrating the device during manipulation thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary, side elevational view, partially in section, showing a mode of storing the scoring element when not in use;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of an alternate mode of storing the scoring element; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of yet another alternate mode of storing the scoring element.

Referring to FIGURE 1, it will be seen that the game device is indicated generally at 2, said device comprising, in the preferred embodiment, a rectangular bar 4 being narrow in comparison with its width and having at one end thereof, a manipulating handle 6, the latter being designed to be grasped by the individual player.

Immediately adjacent tht handle 6, a bumper 8, preferably of resilient material such as rubber, is mounted on the upper surface of the bar 4. A cavity is formed in the bar 4 adjacent the opposite end thereof, said cavity being preferably of semicylindrical contour. In the preferred embodiment, the upper or playing surface 12 of the bar 4 is flat or planar. A plurality of arbitrary divisions 14, 14 are marked on the surface 12, each of said divisions having a progressively increasing score value as they approach the cavity 10. An initial starting area 16 is marked on the surface 12 immediately adjacent the bumper 8 and here designated, for the purpose of the game, as the home area. A scoring element 18, being approximately the width of the bar 4, may be rollably positioned on the planar surface 12, and in the preferred embodiment is of cylindrical form.

Directing attention to FIGURE 2, it will be apparent 3,134,595 Patented May 26, 19 64 that the game may he played by placing the scoring element 18 in abutment with the bumper 8 in the home area 16 of the surface 12. The player grasps the handle 6 and by tilting the device 2 vertically while maintaining the transverse dimension of the surface 12 in parallel relation to the ground, induces the scoring element 18 to roll along the surface 12 and approach the scoring area 14. By appropriate handling of the device 2, the element 18 may be brought to rest in any one of the scoring areas 14 whereupon the player tallies to his credit the number of points indicated in the specific scoring area, and, thereafter, again by appropriate manipulation, returns the scoring element 18 to the home area 16 and repeats the operation.

In the event tthat the specific player inadvertently allows the scoring element to become deposited in the cavity 10, he is penalized a determined number of points and loses his turn. In the alternateevent that a specific player allows the scoring element 18 to fall from the playing surface 12, that is, when scoring element 18 deviates from alignment with bar 4 by more than half its length, as indicated in phantom at 20, he again is penalized a determined number of points and again loses his turn.

The winner is determined by the first player to reach a predetermined total number of points assuming all competing players have an equal number of turns.

A feature of the invention relates to one of several alternate modes of storing the scoring element 18 when the game is not in use. Directing attention to FIGURE 3, it will be seen that a pin 22 may be press-fitted into one end of the bar 4 and the scoring element 18 may be center drilled whereby the element 18 may be stored on the pin 22.

FIGURE 4 shows an aperture 24 formed in the bar 4 and having a cylindrical contour to receive scoring element 18.

Yet another alternate arrangement shown in FIGURE 5 provides a spring 26 which is secured as at 28, in any conventional manner, to the bar 4, said spring being received in an annular depression 30 formed in the element 18 whereby the element is demountably secured to the bar 4.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the device herein disclosed provides a novel and fascinating test of manipulating skill for a plurality of players.

The invention as disclosed is by way of illustration and not limitation and may be subject to modification without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A game device comprising a bar and a cylindrical scoring element to rest on the car centrally of the width of the bar with the axis of the cylindrical scoring element perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bar, one end of the bar being adapted to serve as a handle for sole support of the bar in space, the upper surface of the bar being planar for free rolling of the cylindrical scoring element thereon, whereby the bar may be manually manipulated by a player for tilt in opposite longitudinal directions and for horizontal positioning to cause the cylindrical scoring element to roll in opposite directions lengthwise of the bar and to pause at various points along the bar, said planar upper surface of the bar having scoring areas marked thereon of various scoring values, said bar having a recess on its upper surface near a first end of the bar to trap the cylindrical scoring element for penalizing the score of the player, said bar having a begirming area defined on the upper surface thereof near the second end of the bar, said bar being relatively narrow in comparison with its length, the axial length of said cylindrical scoring element being approximately the width of the bar whereby deviation 3 of the path of the cylindrical scoring element from alignment with the bar by more than half the axial length of the cylindrical scoring element causes the cylindrical scoring element to roll off one side of the bar to penalize the score of the player.

2. A game device as set forth in claim 1 in which one of said scoring areas of a temptingly high scoring value is located adjacent the brink of said recess.

3. A game device according to claim 1, and including storing means to secure said element to said bar when not in use.

4. A game device according to claim 3, wherein said storing means comprises a pin secured to the bar and projecting therefrom, said element having a longitudinal aperture therein to receive said pin.

5. A game device according to claim 3, wherein said References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 748,680 Wyly Jan. 5, 1904 879,036 Cook Feb. 11, 1908 1,411,895 Allen Apr. 4, 1922 1,647,039 Fischer Oct. 25, 1927 2,463,909 Ruch Mar. 8, 1949 2,748,952 Fleit et al. June 5, 1956 

1. A GAME DEVICE COMPRISING A BAR AND A CYLINDRICAL SCORING ELEMENT TO REST ON THE CAR CENTRALLY OF THE WIDTH OF THE BAR WITH THE AXIS OF THE CYLINDRICAL SCORING ELEMENT PERPENDICULAR TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE BAR, ONE END OF THE BAR BEING ADAPTED TO SERVE AS A HANDLE FOR SOLE SUPPORT OF THE BAR IN SPACE, THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE BAR BEING PLANAR FOR FREE ROLLING OF THE CYLINDRICAL SCORING ELEMENT THEREON, WHEREBY THE BAR MAY BE MANUALLY MANIPULATED BY A PLAYER FOR TILT IN OPPOSITE LONGITUDINAL DIRECTIONS AND FOR HORIZONTAL POSITIONING TO CAUSE THE CYLINDRICAL SCORING ELEMENT TO ROLL IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS LENGTHWISE OF THE BAR AND TO PAUSE AT VARIOUS POINTS ALONG THE BAR, SAID PLANAR UPPER SURFACE OF THE BAR HAVING SCORING AREAS MARKED THEREON OF VARIOUS SCORING VALUES, SAID BAR HAVING A RECESS ON ITS UPPER SURFACE NEAR A FIRST END OF THE BAR TO TRAP THE CYLINDRICAL SCORING ELEMENT FOR PENALIZING THE SCORE OF THE PLAYER, SAID 